The former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Bisi Akande, has said that zoning of political offices has never been the position of the party and rejected the notion that the party was standing in the way of any qualified senator in its fold to contest the position of Senate President.
The APC chieftain said it was the Peoples Democratic Party that brought zoning into Nigeria’s polity and that no way would his party adopt the debilitating tradition.
“Zoning is not part of APC,” he said. “It is a PDP arrangement and we will not practice it. What you see with the Senate Presidency is us trying to ensure there is no rancour amongst the senators. Of course, we want the best man to emerge and that is what will happen.
“It is true that sometime after the election, the National Chairman (Chief John Oyegun) wanted to toy with the idea of zoning. But as a united party, we unanimously said, ‘No.’
“We know that zoning could create a room for the opposition to take advantage and snatch these positions. We have been sacrificing and compromising in the interest of our nation and that is what we must continue to do.”
Mr. Akande spoke when a group of reporters met him as he arrived Protea Hotel, Ikeja, for a meeting.
He added that the APC would deliver on its manifesto and assured Nigerians that the President-elect would turn Nigeria’s fortunes around.
SOURCE PREMIUM TIMES
